Career-creative Harmony: Four Powerful Metaphors

I'm sure you agree with me that career and creativitysculpture, or a song.
are two of the central defining aspects of our lives asTHE FOUR METAPHORS
vibrant, happy, prosperous human beings. When they1. Career as Paintbrush:
exist in harmony, and in healthy a relationship to eachThe first metaphor refers to using the elements and
other, they contribute to our sense of significance andresources of your career in a creative way to bring
the energized and inspired state we refer to asabout value for your clients, employers, the target
“zest for life”. One of the things you're reallymarket, and other stakeholders. Here the elements and
going to love about this article is that it outlines fourresources of your career are used as artistic tools
powerful metaphors that you can use to clarify yourand resources, and would correspond metaphorically
perspective on your career and creativity, and forge ato the painter's paints and brushes, the singers voice,
harmonious relationship between these two centralthe musician's instrument, or the writer's pen.
life-facets for a happy, meaningful and prosperous life.2. Career as Painting:
But before we get to those powerful metaphors, a bitThe second metaphor relates to applying your
of background and context. Most of us spend a hugecreativity to design, craft, and create your ideal career.
chunk of our precious life-hours in activities directly orHere your career itself becomes the art-form, similar
indirectly related to work. Yet few people plan,to a painting or sculpture. It is the object or artifact to
visualize, or craft their careers or career transitionsbe created. One benefit of seeing your career as a
with as much care, awareness, and dedication aswork of art, is that a creative process can be used in
buying a car, painting the house, or going on holiday.its crafting.
Humans are natural creators. We all aspire to nurture3. Career as Artist's Patron:
our great ideas from their infancy, through the shakyThe third situation is where your career serves as a
days of toddler-hood and puberty, and to finally to seepatron of your artistic or creative endeavor. Here, the
them living as independent and appreciated creations.person's creative pursuits might not be directly related
Whatever else we are creating, whether in the artistic,to her career, as in the case of an accountant who is
scientific, technical, or other domains, we are also as aalso a weekend sculptor, or an engineer who writes
side-effect creating meaning within our own lives andpoetry. So what exactly is the relationship of the
in the world. This in turn adds to our sense ofpatron (career) to the creative endeavor? I believe
significance and our zest for life.that in its most healthy and harmonious form it is a
Our careers are themselves powerful sources ofreciprocal relationship where the career, as patron,
creative opportunity, and forces for creation. But mostsupports the creative endeavor financially and
aspiring creators soon come up against internal andmaterially, and the creative process and products
external obstacles which seriously limit the chances ofenergize and inspire the career, giving it an added
their creations surviving or flourishing as significantsignificance and meaning.
entities in the world.
Why use metaphors? Metaphor is a powerful creative4. Career as Artist's Model:
mind-tool. Perhaps it is the most powerful, as it formsThe fourth and final metaphor refers to using artistic
the basis of many of our other creative tools such asmodes such as storytelling, collage, poetry, and
picture, story, symbol, and creative thinking. A metaphorart-journaling to reflect on and enhance your
is simply a statement or reference relating one thing orunderstanding, inspiration and engagement with your
situation to another seemingly unrelated thing orcareer. Here your career serves as the subject of
situation.your art, in the same way as a painter's model or
Metaphors form such a natural part of our languagelandscape might serve as the subject for a painting,
and thinking that we often do not notice them. But theand a lyricist's personal experiences might serve as
metaphors we use have a profound effect on howthe subject matter for writing a song. This kind of
we view ourselves, our lives, our careers, and ourcreative engagement with career as artistic subject is
organizations. They also influence the outcomes of oura valuable reflective tool for enriching your inner map
ventures. For example, a CEO who sees herself asof your career and the broader career landscape. This,
the general of an army is likely to have a veryin turn, can help you stay on-track for all the other
different leadership style to one who sees herself ascareer-creative goals embodied in the three previous
the conductor of an orchestra. She is also likely to buildmetaphors.
a very different kind of organization with very differentSUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
results.In summary, the four metaphors are: career as
Metaphors are useful for making information morepaintbrush, career as painting, career as artist's patron,
palatable to our minds by allowing us to organize andand career as artist's model. By internalizing these four
structure separate bits of information into meaningful,metaphors for career-creative harmony, you can
coherent, and satisfying frameworks. The fourvisualize and craft your career and creative
metaphors I present in this article look at four possibleendeavors in a powerful and complementary way to
relationship between career and creativity andensure yourself a life of career-creative harmony and
conform to an overarching metaphorical theme ofzest.
creating a piece of art such as a painting, a story, a